Thomas Smith- BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts UCA Rochester

Wednesday, 18 October 2017

Arnold Shader Surface

I wanted to put this up because I really enjoyed this tutorial. The metal texture is a revelation and will really help me with my third year project.

Friday, 25 August 2017

Third Year Idea 'ESCAPE ZONE 3000'

"Blade Runner meets The Great Escape"

For my project I plan on creating a short animated film titled 'Escape Zone:3000' The film is set on a world run by technology, both new and old. I plan on doing this for the entirety of year three.

The story will revolve around a character who is a prisoner of this world due to the fact that he has contracted a a new 'disease'. His body is downgrading from his robot aesthetic to a half robot, half skin. Skin and all things human will be something alien to this world.

The title 'Escape Zone: 3000' relates to the segregated island that the main character is stuck on, ZONE 3000 is a place that homes prisoners and confines them to a single cell within towering skyscrapers, guarded 24/7.

The film will start with the prisoner outside of ZONE 3000, free from the confines of his cell and it will also end there. The animation will flashback to show his escape. The idea of everything being a dream, due to his new found consciousness as a part robot, part human-like creature is something I want to add as a type of visual subtext throughout and even hint at towards the end. I want everything that happens to him to be to good to be true, the guards just suddenly not being there, signs pointing exactly where he needs to go, all hinting at the idea of this being just something conjured up in his mind whilst alone in his cell.

Below are some scribbles and sketches of character/environments designs and some quick sketches of particular shots within the film. Also colour palettes.

The idea was inspired by a piece of music by Kyle Dixon which features in the Stranger Things soundtrack. Reason being is because the music begins slow and and ends slow which is something I aim to have within my film, within the middle of the animation I plan to have break out scene where the prisoner breaks loose and runs from rooftop to rooftop during his escape accompanied by an epic, synth soundtrack to portray an 80's-esque Sci-Fi mood.